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GET THE LEADER'S EDGE
By Kathleen OíConnor, O'Connor Success System

No matter what position you now hold, you can acquire and use leadership skills to stand out and move forward. Here is how a successful football coach did it. Combine his rules with the results of the research study Iíve written about and youíll have the foundation for a successful career.

Inspire Great Performance
Bill Parcells has led three amazing football team turnarounds and is working on a fourth. Here are some of the rules he has developed over the years that have contributed to his success:

Rule #1: Be the leader from Day One.
When you assume a leadership position, youíre the leader. Don't waste time trying to earn your leadership position; impose it. Parcells learned that lesson the hard way. In his first season coaching the New York Giants, Parcells was too tentative with his players, and the team continued its losing ways.

Without a replacement for Parcells the following season, management asked him back. This time, with nothing to lose, Parcells began by telling team members that the goal was to winÖperiod. Anyone who didnít make the changes required to win would be cut. They won.

Rule #2: Donít be afraid to confront.
Be absolutely clear with people and confront problems head-on. Confrontation doesnít mean putting people down. Place every criticism in a positive context. Parcells frequently tells players: ìI donít think youíre playing up to your potential; you can do better.î He also emphasizes their shared goals: ìItís in your best interest that you succeed, and itís in my best interest that you succeed. We really want the same thing.î

Rule #3: Set small goals and hit them.
When a team is at the bottom of the standings, itís hard for anyone to imagine winning. An immediate, early challenge helps build a culture of success. Begin by setting small, visible goals. As people begin reaching them, they begin to believe that they really can succeed and win. And they do.

Research Study: Are Leaders Really Salespeople In Disguise? A recent study found that the best leaders have more in common with salespeople than with managers. It compared the characteristics of 293 presidents and CEOs with the profiles of 1,470 superior managers and 629 top salespeople.v The entrepreneurial leader is truly a salesperson on a broader scale. Whether pitching an idea to an important client, negotiating a strategic relationship, persuading a key employee to take on a new challenge or pulling out all the stops for a pre-IPO roadshow, CEOs and other top leaders embody many of the characteristics of top level salespeople.

Both groups enjoy the challenge of tasks that require discipline, structure, diligence and detail. If a senior leadership position is in your future, consider these findings from the study:

• Managers focus on results; leaders know results are achieved through people.

• Managers are implementers; leaders are initiators.

• Managers command through their position; leaders inspire by making great ideas come alive.

• Managers have opinions; leaders help form opinions.

• Managers are followed because theyíre the boss; leaders are followed because we believe in them.

Leadership is part personality and part skill. You can acquire both through reading and studying your role models. How do others do it? How do they handle challenges? How do they work with others?

Make this information a part of your skill set ñ keep challenging yourself with ìstretching goalsî ñ put it all together for success!

Kathleen OíConnor is the owner of the OíConnor Success System which provides professional growth programs for managers and entrepreneurs. To access our free resources, visit her website at OconnorSuccessSystem.com You can sign up there for your free 4-part mini-course on communication skills and a free subscription to our monthly e-zine, ìThe Edge.î

OíConnor Success System
511 Avenue of the Americas, #276
New York NY 10011-8436
Phone: (212) 924-9339
Fax: (212) 924-3222
E-mail: info@OconnorSuccessSystem.com
OconnorSuccessSystem.com